Electric resistance



. Patented Feb. 20, 1934 v UNITED STATES PATIENT orricr.

1,947,692 ELECTRIC RESISTANCE Robert Beyer, Brooklyn,'N. Y., assignor to Robert geyir Corporation, a corporation of New No Drawing. Application February 6, 1930 Serial No. 426,434

14 Claims. (Cl. 201-76) This invention relates to electric resistances until all moisture and salt have been driven off. or heating elements and has for its object the The calcination may be conducted under vacprovision, as an article of manufacture, of a uum or in a crucible having a lutcd cover to novel and improved electric resistance, and a exclude air. The calcined massis crushed or I method of making the same. More particularly, oomminuted to a small particle size, and is 60 the invention contemplates a novel method of washed with water and dried at'a temperature protecting carbon particles against oxidation at of about 200 C. to drive off moisture. high temperatures, and a method of preparing Substantially pure carbon or graphite parelectric resistances of such protected carbon ticles may be obtained in various other ways, particles, as well as the improved electric reand are available for the practice of the in- 65 sistance produced by these methods. vention. Ceylon flake graphite, for example, The improved electric resistance of the ingives satisfactory results. Amorphous forms of vention comprises a compacted mass containcarbon are preferable to crystalline forms, since ing finely divided carbon particles protected the more nearly the carbon approaches an against oxidation at high temperatures by an amorphous state the higher is its resistance to oxide of a metal of relatively high melting temthe passage of an electric current. perature. The carbon particles provide an elec- In t preferred practice of the invention, t trio current path through the compacted mass, fi e y. d v d d carbon Particles are mixed With' and the resistance of this path to the passage a 15% solution of manganese nitrate or tungsten of the electric current is susceptible of substannitrate in alcohol, in about the proportion of tial variation by including in the mass varying one part of solution to four parts of carbon by proportions of a heat-refractory material having volume. The resulting mixture, a somewhat relatively high electrical resistance. The mixed heavy paste, is placed in an open crucible and particles of protected carbon and refractory heated to about 1000 to 1200 C. In the course particles are preferably bonded together with of this heating, alcohol and nitrogen oxides are an agent or substance resistant to high temevolved and the carbon particles become peneperatures. trated with an oxide of the metal, such as an The protection of the carbon particles against oxide of tungsten, manganese, etc. oxidation at high temperatures is one of the The carbon particles, now protected against important features of the invention, since it oxidation are mixed dry with a. finely divided permits the use of the electric resistance at or comminuted heat refractory material havunusually high temperatures. Preferably, the ing relativelyhigh electrical resistance, such as, protecting metal oxide penetrates each parzirconium oxide, thorium oxide, titanium oxide, ticle of carbon. The penetration of the carbon silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide,

, particles by the metal oxide is advantageously corundum, rutile, etc. The relative proportions effected by mixing the particles with an approof carbon and refractory material used in mak- 'priate salt of a metal of relatively high melting up the mixture will depend, to some extent, ing temperature (such as manganese, tungsten, upon the desired specific electrical resistance zirconium, etc.), preferably dissolved in a suitof the finished product, and the selection of 4.0 able solvent, and then heating the mixture to the refractory material will depend, to some a sufliciently high temperature to decompose extent at least, upon the temperature to which' the salt and to penetrate the carbon particles the product is subjected in its contemplated use. with the resultingoxide of'the metal. In general, the mixture should contain from Optimum results are attained when the car- 20-60% by volume of the treated or protected 5 bon particles are substantially pure, and parcarbon particles. m ticularly when uncontaminated with phosphor- An appropriate binder or bonding agent is 'ous and similar impurities. I have obtained 9. added tothe mixture of carbon particles and very pure carbon by treatment of a high carrefractory material. I have obtained excellent bon; 10W silicon, cast iron, such as Swedish results with a specially prepared silicious bondcast ironor iron-carbon alloy containing 645% ing agent more particularly described hereinof carbon, with a dilute solution (840%) of after. Solutions of gum arabic, dextrine and hydrochloric acid. The iron dissolves in the the like have also given satisfactory results, dilute acid solution and a porous spongy, gra- Suflicient moisture or other appropriate liquid, phitic mass is left behind. This spongy-mass is is incorporated in the mixture, as by inclusion I calcined at a. temperature of about 450-500' C. in the bonding agent, to give an earth-wet mass I y with constant stirring about 20% of distilled water containing in solution about and thereby provide the necessary plasticity for compacting.

Compacting of the in various ways as, hydraulic pressing or briquetting, molding, and the like. When preparing electric resistance rods, the mass may advantageously be extruded through a die of appropriate dimensions preferably having a central pin or core so as to produce a hollow rod. When making crucibles, the mass may conveniently be tamped into an appropriately-shaped mold. The mass may even be prepared for pouring or casting in molds.

The compacted article (such as a rod, crucible, etc.) is air-dried and then subjected to a mild drying temperature, say 150-250" F., preferably in a vacuum. It is my preferred practice to then heat the article in an appropriate furnace with exclusion of air to a temperature of about 1000-1200 C. Upon cooling, the article is immersed in or treated with a salt solution of a metal of high melting temperature, such as an alcoholic solution of manganese nitrate or chloride, tungsten nitrate or chloride etc. The article is then again heated to eliminate the a1 cohol and to decompose the metal salt. The

mixed mass may be effected for example, by extrusion,

purpose of this finishing treatment with the metal salt is to form a protective coating about and perhaps within the interstices of the article which prevents superficial oxidation. The final heating may be conveniently carried out by passing a gradually increasing electric current through the article until it has been heated to its contemplated working temperature.

Terminals may conveniently be attached to rods and similar forms of the electric resistance by making such terminals of hollow cylindrical form adapted to tightly fit over the ends of the rod and of considerably lower resistance than the rod. Good electrical contact between the rod and its terminals may be attained by coating the contact surfaces with a concentrated solution of silver chloride, and then heating the so-coated surfaces in contact to a bright red heat. The coating with silver chloride is preferably effected by mixing a concentrated aqueous solution of silver chloride with potassium silicate neutralized with either oxalic acid or aluminum oxalate and using the resulting mixture as the coating medium. In this manner.

I have obtained a very close adherence of the silver to the terminal and contacting ends of the resistance rod, thereby making a substantially perfect electric contact.

A peculiarly satisfactory bonding agent may be made of an alkali silicate in the following manner:The alkali silicate,'preferably potassium silicate of about 40 B., is treated (by gradual introduction therein accompanied by constant stirring) with a dilute acid, such as a 15% aqueous solution of arsenic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, boric acid, or the like, until opaque aggregates or lumps form within the mass and give it a heavy, appearance. The mass is then agitated, as for example in a pebble mill, until the opaque aggregates disappear, a small amount of potassium silicate being added if necessary to clear up the aggregates. To the resulting mass is then added by volume 0.5% of chrome aim or chromic acid. The thus specially prepared and neutralized silicate is then ready to be added to the mixture of viscous and opaque protected carbon particles'and refractory material, usually in an amount of about 24% by volume of the silicate on the volume of the mixture.

A satisfactory mixture for' electric resistances developing temperatures up to 2000" be made up as follows:

7 parts by volume of silicon carbide containing about 3035% of free carbon.

3 parts by volume of calcined zirconium oxide.

3 parts by volume of protected carbon.

The foregoing materials are mixed dry, and to the resulting mixture is added such an amount of the neutralized silicate as to produce an earthwet mass. This mass is then compacted, as by extruding, into the desired shape or form for the electric resistance and subjected to the finishing treatmenthereinbefore described.

When silicon carbide is used as a refractory material in conjunction with silicate as the bonding agent, the latter breaks down and becomes an ineffective binder when the mixture is heated to about 1000 C. I have found that C. may

this difficulty may be overcome by, adding a the lower temperatures (up'to 2000 C.) I prefer refractory materials like silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, etc.,, since these produce a tough, crystalline-like structure. For temperatures above 2000 C., I have'obtained very satisfactory results with corundum, oxides of titanium or tungsten, and the like, as the refractory high electrical resistance material.

The following mixture has given excellent results in practice at temperatures approaching 3000 C.:

9 parts by volume of corundum.

1 part by volume of calcined fiu'orspar.

5 parts by volume of carbon protected by oxide of tungsten.

The dry mixturewas made earth-wet with a solution of'gum arabic or. dextrin. Hollow resistance rods were formed by extrusion. The extruded rods were heated in a vacuum at a temperature gradually rising from room temperature to 180 F. After exposure to this heat treatment for several hours, the temperature was raised to 260 F., or somewhat higher, for approximately one hour. The thus dried rods were then immersed in an alcoholic solution of tungsten nitrate, preferably in a vacuum. After this treatment the rods were placed in a mullle furnace and raised to a temperature of about 2000 C. as promptly as possible.

Another mixture giving very satisfactory results at high temperatures is as follows:

30 parts by volume of corundum or corundum carbide.

25 parts by volume ofcerium fluoride or calcium fluoride.

5 parts by volume of calcined fluorspar.

18 parts by volumeof calcined tungstic acid.

22 parts by volume of protected carbon.

Made earth-wet with neutralized potassium silicate.

Electric resistance or' heating elements made in accordance with the invention are mechanically strong and have a remarkably long useful life in constant use, or underconditions oi repeated heating and cooling. Such resistances heat up very promptly upon the passage of an electric current-therethrough to unusuallyhigh temperatures. At such high temperatures and exposed to atmospheric conditions, substantially no oxidation or deterioration of the resistance takes place. These resistances are of special advantage in electric'resistance furnaces where high temperatures aredesired. The resistance may have any appropriate physical form, such as a hollow rod, a flat strip or ribbon, a wall of a heating chamber, or a vessel such as acrucible.

I claim: 1

1. An electric resistance comprising a compacted mass containing finely divided carbon particles penetrated with an oxide of a metal of relatively high melting temperature.

2. An electric resistance comprising acompacted mass containing finely divided particles of carbon penetrated with an oxide of manganese. v

3. An electric resistance comprising a compacted mass containing finely divided particles.

of carbon penetrated with an oxide of tungsten.

4. An electric resistance comprising a com- I pacted mixture of (l) refractory material having relatively high electrical resistance and (2) carbon and (3) an appropriate bonding agent, the particles of anoxide of a temperature.

5. An electric resistance comprising a compacted mass containing (1) finely'div'ided particles of substantially pure carbon penetrated with an oxide of ametal of relatively high melting temperature and '(2) refractory material having relatively high electrical resistance,

metal of relatively-high melting 6. The method of preparing an electric resistance which comprises forming a compacted mass of a mixture or (1) refractory material having relatively high electrical resistance and (2) finely divided carbon particles penetrated with an oxide of a metal of relatively high melting temperature and (3) an appropriate bonding agent, treating said compacted mass with a solution of a salt or a metal of relatively high melting temperature, and heating the so-treated mass to a sufllciently high temperature to decompose said salt andvform an oxide of said metal upon or within the mass.

7. The method of preparing an electric resistance which comprises mixing finely divided carbon with a salt of a metal of relatively high melting temperature, heating the mixture toa sufficiently high temperature to decompose said salt and penetrate the carbon particles with an oxide of said metal, forming a compacted mass of a mixture or the so-prepared carbon and refractory material having relatively high elec-' trical resistance, drying said compacted mass, treating the dried mass with a solution or a salt of a metal of relatively high melting temperature, and heating. the so-treated mass to a the carbon being penetrated with sufliciently high temperature to decompose said '8. An electric resistance comprising a compacted mass containing finely divided carbon particles, said carbon particles being protected against oxidation at high temperature by mixing therewith, prior to compaction, a salt of a and relatively pure carbon particles, said carbon particles being protected against oxidation at high temperature by mixing therewith, prior to compaction, a salt of a metal of relatively high melting temperature and heating the mixture to a sufllciently high temperature .to convert the salt to an oxide of the metal.

10. An electric resistance comprising a compacted mixture of a refractory material having relatively high electrical resistance with carbon, said carbon being protected against oxidation at high temperature by mixing therewith, prior to compaction, a salt of a metal of relatively high melting temperature and heating the mixture to a sufllciently high temperature to convert the salt to an oxide of the metal.

11. -An electric resistance comprising a compacted mixture 0! (1) refractory material having relatively high electrical resistance and (2) carbon protected against oxidation by mixing therewith a salt or a metal of relatively high melting temperature, and heating the -mixture to a sufliciently high temperature to convert the salt to an oxide of the metal and (3) an appropri'ate bonding agent.

12. An electric resistance comprising a compacted mixture of (1) refractory material havingrelatively high electrical resistance and (2) relatively pure carbon protected against oxidation by mixing therewith a salt of a metal'of relatively high melting temperature, and heating the mixture to a sufiiciently high temperature to convert the salt to an oxide of the metal and (3) a silicious bonding agent.

, 13. An electric resistance comprising a coinpacted mass containing (1) carbonaceous material protected against oxidation by mixing therewith a manganese salt and heating the mixture to a sufliciently high temperature to convert the salt into manganese oxide and (2) refractory material having relatively high electrical resistance.

14. An electric resistance comprising a comterial protected against oxidation by mixing therewith a tungsten salt and heating the mixpacted mass containing; (1)- carbonaceous ma- 

